Coming into Divine Order: Perceive, Prevail and Party!
To read the book of Esther is to witness a monstrous chess match marshaled by God against His enemy. And it is central to this 12th biblical month. What was it like to be IN that match like some piece on the board? And don't we sometimes feel like that? The crazy twists and turns when it seems as if God is there one minute and then, oops, wait....did we miss Him?
The key perspective to move forward in life, as it is in chess, is to 'see the whole board.' Hard, that, when it's up close and personal....But completely necessary. We have access to that view - we need that view. Lose that perspective and it can be game-over.
But then what? Perspective leads to action. Naphtali is the 12th tribe - so named because Rachael had 'wrestled and prevailed' against her sister. We drilled down into three wrestling arenas where we experience this for we must know against what or whom we strive. Yet beyond the who or the what is the how and that makes all the difference. Miss the dynamic of that attitude and you miss the power of magnitude.
Finally, there is the celebration of Purim this month (Esther 9) - an invitation to party hardy. Why? The joy released is real power - particularly when you party BEFORE the victory is in hand. All of these are found in this 12th month - a movement out of chaos and into God's governmental order. Catch the replay and recalibrate. See the WHOLE board. Stephen Replay of this Deck teaching, here.